Health Foods Blog

Submitted by Healthy Foods and Eating Healthy

photo credit: markhillary

Water filtering products are becoming more popular because many people ask the question is their tap water is safe? Most people think that bottled water is both healthier and more pure than tap water.

So is there a distinction between water that is healthier and water and that is safer?

Largely the answer to this question depends on what country you live in. In the UK stringent water regulations impose more rigorous standards than those regulations which are applied to many bottled waters. Bottled waters often contain quite high levels of harmless bacteria whereas mains water is treated with chlorine, (a carcinogenic) to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Furthermore many water companies actually add valuable minerals to the water, minerals such as magnesium calcium potassium and iron. However certain pollutants can still get into the water in minute quantities. These include weedkillers, industrial chemicals, heavy metals, and fertilisers.

Some bottled waters are high in sodium which contributes to high blood pressure.

I honestly don’t think you can say that tap water is safer than bottled water in general. What is clear is that tap water is much safer than most natural sources of drinking water. Certainly bottled water is definitely safer than tap water when you’re travelling in countries which have many waterborne diseases.

So should you filter your water in some form or another?

By all means. Filtering your water will make it much safer for you to drink regardless whether it is tap water or bottled water. It is important for whatever type of filter system that you choose, you need to make sure that you replace the filter itself regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions, otherwise pollutants will start to be released back into the water and bacteria will multiply.

There are generally three types of filter system.

Firstly there are filters which are built into a clear plastic jug and you pour water over them. These are known as activated carbon filters. They are relatively cheap to replace and remove pesticides, some chemicals, and chlorine. They have little effect on fluoride or nitrates. The jugs themselves tend to be on average around the 2 litre size requiring frequent filling and have slow filtering times.

The second type of filter system and the most expensive are distillation units. These units use a lot of electricity to vaporise and then condense the water leaving the impurities behind. However distilled water has a distinctive taste which many people find unpleasant.

The third system is the second most expensive choice. This is the system which is installed in your home by professionals, or in some cases can be installed by yourself with a little care. These units are known as reverse osmosis systems because they filter water and then force the water through a membrane to remove virtually all chemicals and minerals. Unfortunately this also removes friendly minerals and harmless minerals such as fluoride, or magnesium and calcium which make your water taste better.

The bottom line is filtered water is always safer.

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Submitted by Café Physique

Appetizer
What you wear during a workout can make all the difference.

Main Course
Your clothing has a surprisingly important role in the effectiveness of your workouts. If you aren’t comfortable, you are much less likely to give it your all while exercising. Keep these tips in mind when shopping for your workout outfit:

Choose Breathable Fabrics – If you choose clothing that insulates your body heat, you may find that you have to cut your workout short because of overheating. When doing really intense exercise, your body temperature rises significantly. You want as much of that heat to be released into the air as possible. Breathable materials that also wick sweat are truly the best. They can help keep you comfortable enough to push a little harder during intense workouts while drawing moisture away from your skin.

Sports Bra – For women, good sports bras are a must if you are going to do cardio regularly. Your sports bra should be more snug than a regular bra, but not restrictive. They are typically made of materials that are very elastic and wick away moisture easily. Try and watch out for seams that might rub uncomfortably against your skin during repetitive movements.

Opt for Quality Socks and Shoes - Your socks should be cotton and your shoes should be very comfortable yet snug. If your shoes are too loose fitting, your foot might wind up shifting inside causing a blister.

Dessert
Sometimes the first thing that people do when they decide to start working it is to go shopping for the best, most expensive workout clothes they can find. But really, there is no reason to spend and arm and a leg when you decide to start working out. Discount shoe stores usually have just as good of shoes as shoe stores in high end malls. And you don’t have to buy name brand gear in order to get a complete workout wardrobe that meets your needs. Being a bargain hunter can go hand in hand with staying fit.

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Submitted by Café Physique

Appetizer
There’s no secret to getting the abs you want.

Main Course
A significant chunk of people start working out because they hope to get those movie star-quality abs. Unfortunately, that’s often a lot harder than it sounds, so it’s a good idea to keep these basic tips in mind as you get started.

Don’t Do Endless Reps – Don’t make the mistake of thinking that doing crunches or sit-ups for hours will give you the six pack that you desire. The abdominal muscles are just like any other, and if you can do hundreds of crunches at a time, you may not be challenging them enough to grow. If any ab exercise get too easy for you, you should consider making it more challenging by adding weights. For example, you might hold a dumbbell or medicine ball to your chest while you do crunches. You should also learn how to do other ab exercises beyond the basic crunch. Try bicycle kicks, leg lifts, planks.

Focus on Cardio and Diet - As with anything else, it’s a mistake to think that resistance training alone will get you the tummy that you want. Most people aren’t happy with their abs because they simply have too much fat in that area. Fat around your midsection is typically harder to get rid of than fat from other you parts of your body. And women, because they have a naturally higher body fat percentage than men, might actually find it to be even more challenging. The only way to get rid of that fat is by doing plenty of cardio and watching what you eat.

Stand Up Straight – Most people can improve the appearance of their midsection simply by improving their posture. Standing up straight will naturally cause you to pull your stomach in, and it will also activate more muscles, helping you burn a few extra calories during the course of the day.

Dessert
I’ve noticed that the #1 thing people neglect while heading down the path to rockin’ abs is a good diet. All of those commercials on television for ab machines sometimes give the impression that exercising is enough to make your abs visible, but it just isn’t. In order to get your body fat percentage low enough, you need to cut out the sweets and excess junk while making sure that you burn off more calories throughout the day than what you take in.

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Submitted by Healthy Foods and Eating Healthy

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Image via Wikipedia

Peppers are a good source of Vitamin C and beta-carotene. Surprisingly weight for weight peppers are a better source of Vitamin C than Citrus fruit. The average sized green 125g pepper contains 300% of an adults RNI for Vitamin C. Better still a red one contains 400%!

This is because the common peppers ripen from green, to yellow, to finally red. Once picked a pepper won’t ripen further. They only ripen on the vine. Perhaps you were like me and thought the different colours were different varieties!

There are other varieties which appear purple brown and it is known that the deeper colours of pepper are high in bioflavonoids which can help prevent cancer.

Spanish explorers are responsible for the naming of the pepper. They apparently confused them with peppercorns which are unrelated.

Advantageously fast cooking peppers, such as stir frying do not greatly lower their nutritional value.
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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Readers-

There comes a time in every health bloggers life where change is necessary. I’ve had a blast blogging about fitness and nutrition but there’s only so much to cover!

I’ll continue to bring you the latest health and fitness news as I come across it, but I’ll also be posting on woman’s issues in the media.

Thanks to all my readers who have stuck with me since the this project was just a seed. I hope the changes will be a welcome addition to life at A Sizable Apple!

As always, email me with tips, questions, ideas, comments and concerns at asizableapple@gmail.com.

If you’re new to A Sizable Apple and like what you see, add your email to the SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL Feedburner box on the right hand side of your screen.

Future changes to come may include give aways for readers who subscribe to ASA via email!

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Wheeeew nelly! I found some hot topics for discussion today! With these links, there’s a little something to get everyone’s engines revved up. Let’s give the comment section a good workout today, folks.

Medical wonder? The British Daily Mail posted this little gem that I could not pass up sharing- I’m thrilled my baby survived abortion! Short but quiet interesting story. Your two cents?

Best Fem 2008? Blogger Jezebel recently picked her choice for best modern day feminist. I’ll give you some clues; she’s an activist, has been a staple on television for almost 20 years and rocks the short blond hair better than Ellen DeGeneres. Here’s her choice. Not quite mine, but what do you think? Whose your pick?

Nit picking celeb bods? This one’s an oldie but a goodie. Tyra Banks may have put on a little weight since her supermodeling (ahem airbrushing) days. Last January, she used her television show to address some harsh words and an unflattering photo that popped up in tabloids. Are the bodies of celebrities our business? Check out my previous post on the subject & reader comments and for some more celebrity body shots, check here.
Who cleans?
The New York Times posted an interesting article in light of the legilization of gay marriage in California. Looking at the way homosexual couples vs. heterosexual couples split up tasks like chores around the home, the article brings forth some light to how we interact in relationships. What do you think?
Got a good ASA hot topic? Let me know in comments or by email- asizableapple@gmail.com

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

If your temper can handle it, take a spinning class! The stationary biking class is regarded as one of the toughest workouts. I couldn’t help share the word after I saw AOL Body’s Indoor Cycling information.

Spinning is a great way for biker lovers to keep riding in the winter, or for newbies to enhance their workouts. Classes are typically inexpensive, and keep you on your toes with up beat music and continuous changes in tempo and intensity. These workouts totally sculpt your legs and butt and can burn up to 325 calories (for a 150 pound woman). For more information on spinning, like equipment, expectations and spinning celebs, check out FitSugar’s spinning section.

Check out classes at your local gym and try boosting your workout with an intense spinning class!

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Happy Monday, ASA readers!

I hope you all had a great healthy weekend. Mine was alright. I had a visitor in town, who was not nearly as excited about going to workout on his stay as I was.

However, we did make it to the mall and wine tasting, so I will chalk both those up to a healthy hour or so of walking and heart healthy sips of red wine. The workout may have been sub par, but I’ll call it my rest for the up coming week and hit the gym hard tomorrow, that’s something to look forward to, isn’t it?

How do you keep up while entertaining? Do you spoil your guests and indulge in trips to get ice cream and throw your workout by the wayside?
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Submitted by Café Physique

Appetizers
Don’t let your cubicle interrupt your fit lifestyle.

Main Course
Your body is designed to be exercised, but physical activity can be tough to come by when you work at an office and spend most of your day parked in front of a computer. That’s why all office dwellers should do what they can to get in more physical activity, even while they are at work.

Rethink Your Commute – If you are fortunate enough to live just a few miles from where you work, you might consider riding your bike to work. True, this might mean that you have to wake up a bit earlier, but the extra exercise you get in every week will be profound.

Take Frequent Breaks – I know it’s easy to get caught up in what you’re doing, but it’s vital that you take breaks regularly. It won’t just help you produce higher quality work, it will also give you they opportunity to get in some physical activity. By taking a quick stroll around your office building during your breaks, you increase the amount of physical activity you get during the day and get your heart pumping enough to make you feel refreshed. These quick strolls can be an effective stress fighter too.

Replace Your Chair with An Exercise Ball - You’ll probably have to check with management to see if this is OK, but more and more companies are allowing, and even encouraging their employees to sit on exercise balls instead of chairs. Sitting on a ball encourages good posture, and actually activates some muscles in a way that regular chairs don’t because you have to constantly stabilize yourself. It might feel tricky at first, but after a little while it will feel just as natural as sitting on a chair.

Dessert
A fit lifestyle is all about small changes. Even choosing to get a little physical activity during your break instead of hanging out in the office kitchen or at your desk can be a huge leap in the right direction. If you concentrate on making tiny changes in how you do things, it will eventually add up to a slimmer waistline and a healthier you.

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

A photo on You-are-beautiful.com by Andrew Sears

In my ever going obsession with Leslie’s writing at The Weighting Games, I further surfed to the You Are Beautiful sticker site.

This anonymous group has been producing these stickers which are mostly found in Europe, promoting the positive message of confidence and beauty. The deal is, you send in a self addressed stamped envelope, and they’ll send you free stickers.

You stick freely and if interested, send them photos of your best sticking and they’ll post them online.

Upon receiving her free stickers, Leslie quickly went to work on placing them all over Chicago (specifically in a locker at her gym). I’m definitely getting involved on this one.

If nothing else, one will for sure be posted promptly next to my bathroom mirror as a daily reminder to love myself beyond the skin that’s staring back at me. I’ll spread the love too and get creative with my sticking as well.

Are you up for it? Let me know if you’re sending away for stickers. I’m considering getting another contest going for photo or story of best stick, are you in? Here’s the address:

You Are Beautiful
PO Box # 220175
Chicago, IL 60622
USA

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Ok, you cut back your red meat intake, you’re pumping the fruits and vegetables like it’s your day job, and at least trying to limit your carbs. Ready for the next level?

Women’s Health Magazine posted a great article on new tips to making your meals even more nutritious. Make your own fruit spreads for toast in the morning or to use as a fat substitute in baked goods.

There are also some great new ideas for snacks and spicing up the same-friggin-chicken dinner.

For more calorie saving ideas, check out Hungry Girl’s Top Ate of 6/4/08. Some of her best advice is to replace cooking with oil for non-calorie cooking spray, soymilk over cream and butternut squash over potatoes.

What are some of your favorite calorie saving tips? What’s your food weakness and how do you try to get around it?

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Ugh, working out.

Sometimes I’m totally on top of it- every day, an hour at the gym, and without it I feel miserable. Other times, I fall out of health orbit completely and miss day after day (after week? Yikes!)

Yes, it happens to all of us. Keeping going is tough, and finding that perfect motivation to get your butt in gear isn’t always simple.

My recent motivator- gas prices. I’m interning twice a week at a lovely location about 1/6 of a tank away round trip, and then ride my four wheels farther to my lovely summer job. You can bet that’s a non-paying internship (and last time I checked ASA wasn’t paying the gas bills!) What’s a broke college student to do?

Luckily, I’ve got a great trail system between my house and summer job. The more I see $40+ appear on the gas pumps, the more driven I am to ditch the four wheels for two and bike instead. The ride takes me about 30 more minutes than driving, and re-energizes me for the rest of my day.

I know not everyone is as lucky to have a riding connection, but think about the little ways you can cut back. Can you walk to the store to pick up a few mid-week essentials instead of drive? What about parking a few blocks away and riding or walking in from there?

Even the tiniest things will add up eventually. Comment with your best gas saving, fit inspiring ideas!

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

It may be Friday the 13^th, but there’s nothing bad luck about today’s links! Check out some great posts from my favorite bloggers and some other neat tid-bits to keep your mind of the weekend while you read ASA at work.

Got Curves?
Leslie’s post on Tyra’s curves raises some pretty bold red flags on magazine airbrushing.

Blog bashing
Another great one from Leslie- a look at a recent article posted by a British blogger who bashes Princess Beatrice’s full figured shape.

Summer workouts
The fabulous weather made me really excited about sharing this one. Women’s Health Magazine posted a great online article with tips on how to workout outside in the summer sun! Get tips to doing pilates in the pool, a total-body trail workout, strength training and beach yoga.

Guest questions at ELFF
Carmen’s brilliant readers sent her some great questions that she responded to on her ELFF blog. Take it from someone with incredible weight loss success, this girl knows her stuff! Check out the question and answers and heck, send her a few more questions of your own!

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

All you need is 10 ft of space!
courtesy Women’s Health Magazine

Oops, did you “accidentally” keep busy right up until the gym closed? Not so fast, Women’s Health Magazine has your workout saved with six moves you can do at home.

No one needs this one more than me, lately! This article is full of great core strengthening moves that you can do between commercials of your favorite show or while dinner is cooking.

Where are you going to post this WH print out? On the back of your remote? Next to the cookie jar? Comment here with your best excuse to skip a workout. Anyone brave enough to form an excuse for skipping out on these no equipment moves?

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Have you seen Condoleezza Rice lately? Girl is tough, and I don’t mean with international policies. Take a look at this NBC article keeping up with her workouts with a former Marine trainer. You anti-runners will be happy to know rock hard ‘Leeza favors speed-walking on an incline over running.

“I’ll work out with an elliptical and treadmill — I have both at my home. I put in a little gym at my apartment,” she said. “I’ll go every morning for 40 to 45 minutes on that.”

Rice prefers low-impact exercises.

“I’m … a little bit over 50,” Rice said with a smile. “I spent a lot of years as a figure skater, banging my legs and knees against the ice, and so I’ve decided that I’m going to speedwalk and walk hills instead of running.”

Her trainer also favors walking over running.”I believe that walking is a very important tool that is underutilized for people,” Tomlo said. “I’m a big believer in walking — for the heart and the way it shapes the body and the lack of impact.”

Check out home girls arms!! PHOTO: Fitness Magazine

And next time you think you’ve found a reasonable excuse to miss your workout, check it with hers-

Rice gets up at 4:30 a.m. every day, and no matter where she is in the world, she gets in a workout. On this day, she just got home from a 15-hour flight from the Middle East the night before.

“When I’m on the road, I absolutely schedule time to get in my exercise first,” she said.

Wanna be ripped like Ms. Rice? Check out Fitness Magazine’s tips to Condoleezza’s workout. How ’bout the other ladies in politics? Mrs. Clinton’s bod? Talk amongst yourselves.

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Submitted by Healthy Foods and Eating Healthy

by Leah Quinn

Fun loving pasta eaters, rejoice! The fennel, garlic and broccoli go very well with sliced sauteed sausage and freshly grated parmesan cheese along with the crumbled goat cheese - ciao bella! Quick and easy meal to help sneak in some veggies to unsuspecting teenagers and hubbys everywhere!

Ingredients:

2 or 3 each hot and sweet sausage links, semi-frozen
2 small crowns of fresh broccoli
3-6 cloves of fresh garlic
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 or 2 bulbs fennel with their fawns
Olive Oil
Large pot of boiling water for pasta - try rotitini or penne
One large deep skillet, enough that when after cooking sausages and veggies, you can also throw pasta in.
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
A couple shakes of dried red pepper flakes
Freshly cracked pepper
Salt
Directions:

Put pot on to boil for pasta
Take out sausage from freezer, and slice links into 1/3 inch slices
Put skillet onto stove, add small drizzle of olive oil and put sliced sausages in.
Add red chili flakes and fresh cracked pepper - the heat from the skillet opens up their flavors.
While the sausage cooks, mince up garlic and set aside.
Rinse and break apart broccoli into small bite size pieces and set aside.
Cut off frawns from fennel, and with the remaining bulb, slice thin and break apart to resemble onion slices. Set aside frawns for now.
Once water has started to boil, add good amount of salt to water and a bit of olive oil.
To cooking sausage slices, add sliced fennel and broccoli to skillet.
Continue cooking broccoli, sausages and fennel allowing the fennel to caramelize along with sliced sausages.
Mince up two tablespoons fawns from the fennel and grate up your cheese.
Drain pasta when just al dente, but try and reserve up to 1 cup of pasta water.
Add drained cooked pasta to deep skillet and add freshly minced garlic to the mix.
Add 1/2 of the cheese and up to 1/2 cup pasta water and stir till all are combined. Continue cooking for one to 4 minutes. Add crumbled goat cheese.
Serve up on plates, sprinkle a little of the minced fennel frawns and extra grated cheese. Ciao Bella! Mangia Mangia pronto!
This is one of those great tasting easy dishes, and the goat cheese once is melts creates a similar feel in your mouth to alfredo sauce but without a lot of the naughty added fat.

Leah Quinn, a multi-media artist and writer whose work specializes on food, health, feng shui, and self-improvement. http://leahquinn.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leah_Quinn

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Congratulations to Laura, a recent college grad from Minnesota, who won the free bike give away contest! She’s graciously allowing me to share her story with you!

Laura played on her school’s rugby team for the past four years, and relied on her school gym for off season workouts. Now a graduate, she’s got to figure out new methods to working out.

Laura (#1) playing on her college rugby team.

“As I graduate, I know that I need to make some life decisions so that I stay healthy and I actually want to get in better shape. I am also used to working out in our campus gym which I am ineligible for now! It’s scary to have to think about what I am going to do on my own.”

- Laura’s email entry

Although I felt all the applicants were deserving of the bike reward, Laura’s situation stood out most. Her current need for something new complied with her prior biking experience made me certain this prize wouldn’t go to waste.

“I love biking but I am using my step-mom’s old bike and it is very uncomfortable and the gears get stuck. I would love to have the new Fuji bike from Lipton. The town I live in has some really great bike trails that I have never felt comfortable checking out.”

Congratulations to Laura on her new bike! Thank you to all who applied for the contest! Please keep reading as more may pop up!
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Submitted by Café Physique

Appetizer
It’s possible to find foods that are both healthy and convenient.

Main Course
One of the reasons people choose unhealthy food even when they would prefer to eat well is convenience. If you are really busy and have to choose between microwaving a personal pizza and cooking up some lean fish, you are probably going to choose the pizza to save time. But there are plenty of foods that are both good for you and easy to make.

Canned Soups - Canned soups are great because they taste good, are generally low in calories, and typically have a lot of lean meats and vegetables. As a bonus, they can be heated on your stove or in the microwave in a matter of minutes. Be sure to avoid the “creamy” soups though, as they typically have a lot more calories. You should also check sodium levels because they can be pretty high in some soups.

Frozen Vegetables – Vegetables are great, but in order to eat them regularly, you have to go to the store fairly often if you eat them fresh. If you buy frozen vegetables, you can buy in bulk and just pull them out of the freezer when you need them. Steaming is the best way to prepare them, because it doesn’t add any calories and preserves a lot of the flavor.

Some Rice Bowls - Microwavable rice bowls with vegetables and chicken are another good way to get your veggies and lean proteins. However, you should be careful here. Some rice bowls load up on sugar in order to improve their flavor, so always check the ingredients list before you put them in your cart.

Sandwiches - If you build a sandwich with wheat bread, turkey slices and some veggies (hold the cheese and mayo) you have a well rounded meal that you can whip up in less than five minutes.

Dessert
More people would be willing to eat right and exercise if they didn’t have so many other life obligations. That’s why it’s much easier to adapt healthy eating to your lifestyle rather than having to change how your work and live in order to accommodate healthy activities. It just takes a little initiative and creativity.

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Submitted by Healthy Foods and Eating Healthy

Image via Wikipedia

Celeriac is a winter vegetable which you may or may not have heard of. Certainly, it is not a vegetable that I have eaten or am familiar with myself. It is a kind of celery, which is grown as a root vegetable, and is also known as celery root, knob celery, or turnip-rooted celery.

On average celeriac is about the size of a large potato, but only contains about 6% starch by weight. It is low in calories and a source of vitamin C and folate. It is also a good source of potassium.

Fresh celeriac looks like a small round knobbly turnip, however when peeled white flesh is revealed with a favour very similar to celery. It is often grated raw into salads and used to flavour soups and stews. It has also been known to be chopped and added to stuffing for the Sunday chicken dinner.

It is also known to be delicious when served as an accompaniment to Salmon or spicy pork.

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

Time to run, Doh!

Over the 11 months I’ve been blogging at ASA, I’ve been an advocate for anti-running workouts. Running isn’t for everyone, but if you haven’t embraced it as a portion of your workout yet, it’s time to give it another shot. This is all inspired by a pretty big section of Health.com that’s dedicated to training programs for runners. Here they provide a log to keep track of your running, and also some training programs for different distance races.For those a little more brave, there’s a full page dedicated to

marathon training as well. Don’t let all that distance talk freak you out. Dissecting training programs is a great way to get ideas about building your own workout routines. What’s your relationship with running? Love it, hate it? Why? Let me know in comments.Congratulations to Laura H., winner of the free bike give away challenge! More info on Laura to come!

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

When you hit the gym hard, do you feel dog tired the day after? Events up to three hours after your workout can determine your recovery afterwards.

The New York Times posted a pretty cool feature on your post workout time-line. The feature scientifically plots out your fluid intake, protein and carbohydrate replenishment up to your next full meal.

The article was a little too scientific for my liking, but the details really show how the research stacks up. Take a look and let me know what you think. What is your typical recovery process like?

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Submitted by Café Physique

Appetizer
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that most people consume much more unhealthy food than they realize. These “Phantom Calories” sneak into our diets in unexpected ways often causing us to ingest hundreds or even thousands of extra calories over the course of just a few days.

Main Course
Here are some of the most common Phantom Calorie culprits:

Liquid Calories - Most people make the mistake of thinking that liquids can’t make you gain weight as much as solid foods. In actuality, 200 calories from a glass of juice can make you gain weight just like 200 calories from a cupcake. Calories can even sneak into non-caloric drinks when you alter them to taste better - like when you put sugar and cream in your coffee.

Your Kid’s Plate - People who have children are especially prone to eating more calories than they expect. When you go on a diet you typically make one meal for yourself and something different for your child, but many parents make the mistake of nibbling on their kids’ food or even finishing off what their kids don’t eat. Go ahead and just save their food for later. They will eat it when they are hungry again, and your thighs will thank you for this.

Unplanned Snacks – Sometimes it’s just plain hard to avoid bad foods. Even when you are trying to eat right, there always seems to be people offering you tempting and delicious food at work, social events and maybe even in your own home. It’s hard to say no when things look so good and it’s easy to just go along with the crowd. You have to make a conscious decision to plan your “cheat” meals or snacks and try not to deviate from the plan.

Dessert
It’s strange how unexpected food can creep into our diets. If you think you’ve been eating right, but you haven’t been making any progress in your weight loss, it might actually help you to keep a food journal for a day or two. Just record every little thing that you eat along with the approximate calorie values if you can. You may just be surprised by how much extra food you’re consuming without even thinking about it.

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

If you’ve belonged and frequented a gym for any stretch of time, you’ve experienced the frustration of New York native, Christopher Carter.

You’re in the middle of your workout, and hear the grunts. Even jumping from machine to machine doesn’t do it; you can still hear proof of how difficult someone else is working. (Check #13 on my gym etiquette list.)

The New York Times reports Carter, a 45-year-old stockbroker, couldn’t deal with the grunts and shouts of fellow biker in his spin class, 49-year-old Stuart Sugarman. After asking the instructor to quiet Sugarman down with no success, the two men exchanged some harsh words before Carter took maters into his own hands.

PHOTO: Christopher Carter
courtesy of The New York Times

He reportedly walked over, tipped Sugarman’s stationary bike (while he was still on it) up and then released it. Carter was acquitted of assault charges, although Sugarman claimed he was hospitalized for two weeks because of resulting neck and back problems.

I don’t believe Carter is a criminal, more like a jerk. How long could you have possibly been in that class for where you were pushed over the edge to possibly injures someone? Yeah, there are some annoying people out there, but that’s why most of us have siblings or at least go through high school- to learn how to deal with other people’s antics that just seem to pick at every single strand of the hair on your arm.

I don’t think Sugarman walks out with the victim card either, I think he’s a jerk too. You’re a 49-year-old man in a public area, be respectful of others around you. Although Sugarman’s shouts were apparently of positive nature, in attempts to keep fellow bikers motivated, he’s not an instructor, personal trainer, or hired motivational speaker. Obviously not everyone in the room signed on for a class with an in house cheerleader; a little encouragement is great, but respect the fine line.

Where do you stand? Should there be a policy for gym shouters? When is enough, enough, or is it ever?

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

I came across a really interesting article on The Daily Mail, a popular British Newspaper.

The article surrounded the means of British television personality Fern Britton’s major weight loss.

The star had gone under the knife for gastric band surgery two years ago and since then had attributed her weight loss to “healthy eating and sheer hard work”. Britton came clean on the air about her surgery after her agent (who didn’t know about her surgery) called her to notify her the press was about to run a story on her supposed surgery.

After publicly accepting rumors about the band surgery were true, Britton said she didn’t lie, but “there are some things a girl likes to keep to herself”. While Britton was practicing that healthy eating and sheer hard work she also appeared in several advertisements for an English health food cracker. Is anyone reminded of the US equivalent to this story, with the across the pond version of Britton- Star Jones?

PHOTO left: Britton now
right: Britton in 2006

Ok, I get it, you don’t want to come forward and face the assumptions that you’re lazy or can’t do it on your own so you secretly go under the knife. Hey, it is Britton’s body anyway, and therefore shouldn’t be anyone else’s business, right? Well I fully agree with that, but some of her moves just don’t fly with me. She’s a public figure, and looked up to by many in England. When you show up about 40 pounds thinner and make claims that you achieved this au natural, you’re giving false hope to women struggling with weight issues.

We unfortunately have fallen into a horrible habit of comparing our own body to celebrities. Lies about unnatural methods of weight loss can be detrimental to millions who think so highly of these now slim stars. It seems to me that Britton doesn’t hold her status as a role model very seriously. Surgery is nothing to be ashamed of, but a personal choice. I understand she wanted to keep an aspect of her life out of the public eye, but why engage in those advertisements further pushing your new figure and ‘natural weight loss’ out into the mouths of the public?

As a 50 year old woman, I would hope she would have a higher sense of self confidence and if not come forward with her choice, at least keep her statements and advertising choices realistic. What do you think? What are your feelings on stars getting surgery- should we have the right to know, or are their claims about eating well and working hard alright to spread across magazines and television?

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Submitted by A Sizable Apple

In the process of trying new things, Mondays at A Sizable Apple will now be personal posts. I’ll share stories about my favorite activities and new recipes! Don’t forget to sign up for ASA’s free bike give away contest deadline June 5!

I’m a college student- ie: a random house guest to my family. During the school year, I stop by for random weekends, and during breaks (like now) I show up at the door again smiling here I am again!

Since leaving for school, I’ve come to recognize signs of how excited my family is to have me back. My dad’s home cooked meals- ok, I see you’re here, but that does not stop the rest of our schedules; a few new recipes from my mom to choose from- boy am I glad you’re here, no one else would eat this with me; many mass family emails weeks in advance checking menu ideas- you and you’re sister are coming in? It’s a celebration!

Apparently, my mom is very excited I’m home. She made probably the third special pasta dish this month.

Food is a great way to convey feelings. Cooking for someone is an endearing and thoughtful measure and also a great way to jump into eating healthy. I know my health fanatic mom isn’t going to share a double fried greasy meal with me. Eating with her makes me feel good, because I know she’s taking care of me with healthy meals- who can think of a better welcome home present than that?

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